Electrowinning is a well-known process for refining a desired metal. Typically, the electrowinning is accomplished in an electrolytic cell which contains the desired metal ion in a solution. A cathode and an anode are immersed in the solution. When a current is passed through the electrolytic cell, the desired metal is plated onto the cathode. The commercial use of electrowinning requires a large amount of cathodes and anodes in a single cell. In general, the cathodes and anodes are hung from the sides of the walls of the electrolytic cell. Current is provided to the cathodes and anodes through a series of contact bars that are on the top of the walls. An electrowinning system can include a series of interconnected electrolytic cells that may populate an entire floor of a refining facility. In such electrowinning systems, the contact bars can be very complex and can have shortcomings in the efficiency and consistency of the current flow. Improvements are needed to electrowinning systems and the contact bars which are a part of said systems.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.